Desperate people who can't get help are looking for it online. The consequences can be shattering
The tragic death of the 'bright' and 'vivacious' mental health blogger, Beth Matthews, shone a light on the best and worst of the internet.
With unrelenting pressure on NHS services and mental health waiting lists, campaigners and experts have warned that more people are turning to the internet for support and advice - and the consequences can be shattering.Beth Matthews rose to internet fame after documenting a previous suicide attempt in 2019 which left her with devastating injuries.
She had been admitted to the Priory for specialist therapy, but became consumed with thoughts of wanting to end her own life. Days after writing a tragic Twitter post to her 25,000 followers, penning that she was unable to 'see a way out', she ingested a fatal amount of a poisonous substance, which she'd ordered from Russia.
The Priory Group admitted in a statement that Beth’s care plan ‘was not followed’ as it should have been on the day of her death. They accepted that ‘on the balance of probabilities if the measure related to post on Beth’s care plan was followed, she would not have ingested the substance, and would not have died as she did’.
A Senior Lecturer at Salford University has warned that current pressures on the NHS could lead people in crisis to corners of the internet which, in some cases, can have dangerous consequences. “I turned to social media and created a bit of a bond and community with people,” he said. “It really helps you because you can relate to other people about how they are feeling.
Tommy Hatto is a wellbeing consultant who has suffered with body image issues and eating disorders. He, like John, says he’s found social media helpful in spreading awareness, and aiding his own personal recovery. “I have seen people in the comments on social media and forums not overtly saying ‘commit suicide’ but it’s been things like ‘oh you’re beyond the point of help.’
“Pretty much everyone with mental health problems experiences isolation and alienation and one of the things the internet has enabled them to do is break that isolation and reach out and find other people like them,” he said. “She touched the lives of so many people and as a result she was able to help those who reached out to her,” she said. One of those people was Sarah Page, a friend of Beth’s who met her through Twitter and also gave evidence at the inquest.
“It’s really common for people who go to A&E with mental health problems to come away feeling worse. If someone is in a state of really high distress and they have to sit in A&E for six plus hours it’s not good for them. Beth Matthews' inquest heard that in the two weeks leading up to her death, she had accessed online forums in which members discuss various methods of suicide.
Substance linked to a number of deaths in Greater Manchester Despite being reportable under the poisons act, the substance Beth ingested has also been linked to a number of other deaths across Greater Manchester since 2020. Greater Manchester Police has been approached for an update on this investigation but declined the M.E.N’s request for comment.
Ian Russell, the father of schoolgirl Molly Russell, who killed herself after viewing harmful material on social media, said the threat of imprisonment is “the only thing” that will make the bosses “put safety near the top of their agenda”. Mr Russell, who has since set up the Molly Rose Foundation, has been calling for a stronger UK online safety bill, after criticising social media platforms' responses to the coroner's report on this daughter's death.
'Online safety is one part of the picture' Mubeen Bhutta, who is Head of Policy at Samaritans, acknowledged that an issue with the current online safety bill is that there is a risk of some bits of the internet being made safer than others. “There are all sorts of other things that need to be done in terms of supporting people,“ she said. “There is currently a huge backlog and increase in demand so the gap in services is widening even more.
For support for people feeling suicidal, if you are concerned about someone or if you are bereaved by suicide see http://shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk Anorexia & Bulimia Care: ABC provide on-going care, emotional support and practical guidance for anyone affected by eating disorders, those struggling personally and parents, families and friends. Helpline: 03000 11 12 13. www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/
Chief executive of Papyrus, Ged Flynn, said: “We are always concerned by stories of children and young people who have died by suicide and the extent to which these often seem to include real issues of reduced access to quality health care that they deserve. 'Support is available even if services seem busy' Steve Dixon, chief delivery officer for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “We know the impact of mental ill health can be huge and with it can come risks of isolation and loneliness. We would encourage anyone experiencing difficulties with their mental health to seek help from the NHS as soon as they can.
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